


Breathing Room

by apostapals (apostapal)



Category: Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Aberdeen Surana, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 16:29:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9393653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apostapal/pseuds/apostapals
Summary: Januanders: Day 8 (January 14th) - Anders and the Warden.Growing up in the Circles teaches you to appreciate the small things.





	

Anders remembers her, vaguely, from the Ferelden Circle. She was that tiny little mageling that bit the templar that brought her in from the Denerim alienage and refused to speak to anyone. At least, until Karl’s bleeding heart sent him over with a cup of cocoa and that calming voice he was so good at. He had her smiling in no time at all…

Anders felt a kinship to her, in a way, from that alone. So it didn’t bother him much when he ran into her a few weeks later in the libraries.

“Do you think I could get this window open?” she asked, poking at one of the glass panels softly. “I just… it’s so musty in here. Some air would be nice.”

“I’ve tried already. They’re nailed down. Plus, the drop is too far to make it out.”

She glanced at him and he replied with a knowing little smile before sitting down across from her.

“What’s your name, anyhow?” he asked, leaning on his elbow and watching her straighten up in her seat to look at him.

“Aberdeen.”

“That’s a long one.” he drawled.

Aberdeen just shrugged. “It’s my name. I’ve never had any trouble getting people to call me it until I got here.”

Anders could imagine how the templars would stumble over the name. They hadn’t even bothered to remember his… But it suited him well enough. No sense in letting them know any more about him than they already did.

“It’s a good name.” he said, “Like a breath of fresh air.”

Aberdeen laughed faintly and shrugged. “Well,” she said, “glad you can get one somewhere.”

Later, much later, he sat in front of her carved oak desk and watched the Warden-Commander pry the window of her office open and shove it roughly to the very top of the frame. Crisp spring air filtered in, fluttering her papers, and she turned to face him with a bold grin.

“There,” she hummed, moving to her seat again. “that’s better.”

Anders laughed faintly. “Some things never change, eh?”

Aberdeen shrugged, shoulders sagging dramatically, and beamed at him. “Guess so.” she said, “But, well, at least now I can open the window, right?”

They both laughed, Anders kicking back in his chair, and lapsed into a slow silence. After a moment, he tossed her a grin.

“I’m glad it’s you. You know, in charge of this.” he said.

“Why?”

“You know, yeah? Like… how everything is.” he moved his hands around in the air uselessly. “It’s just, uh, it’s refreshing. To have someone who understands pointing me towards the next goal.”

“Mm, I’m glad you’re here too, Anders.” Aberdeen replied, humming. “It’s nice seeing a semi-familiar face after so long.”

“Like a breath of fresh air?” Anders quipped.

Aberdeen laughed, a full laugh–not one like she was afraid to be heard, and nodded.

“Yes,” she said, “like that.”


End file.
